Elding ready for Irish chance after passport delay

Owen, like his father Anthony, played for Sligo after coming through the club's academy.He made his debut as a 17-year-old in October 2023 and then enjoyed a breakout season in the Irish Premier Division in 2025, scoring 16 goals and providing five assists on his way to winning the PFAI Young Player of the Year award that season.His form for Sligo attracted interest from across the Irish Sea and Scottish Premiership side Hibs swooped in to sign him in January this year on a four-and-a-half-year deal.The striker has impressed since moving to Scotland, scoring six goals in 22 games, including three in nine outings in the current campaign.His call-up to the summer window provided time for him to integrate with the squad and also whetted his appetite for more involvement going forward."Definitely getting that experience with the first-team international set-up was massive," he said in August."Obviously I couldn't play the game but it was just a chance for me to go in and show the staff and everyone what I could do."Just being around the boys for the camp and seeing what it's like is something I want to be a part of."He certainly left an impression on Hallgrimsson, who has included him in the squad for games against Kosovo and Austria either side of a double-header against Israel in a 12-day stretch.While his involvement may be limited this window as he works his way back to full fitness after a recent injury and competes with in-form and established forwards Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Tom Cannon, Hallgrimsson is certainly excited about Elding's potential."He really impressed us with his attitude and his character and how he presented himself as a player," said the Icelander."He has been struggling with injury, he's been coming back, but you can see the quality this kid has."